1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery pack, which is mounted on a portable type of electronic apparatus such as a note type of personal computer, a PDA, a mobile personal computer, or another type of electronic apparatus, a pseudo battery pack modeled on the battery pack, an electronic apparatus, and an electronic apparatus system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Different types portable of electronic apparatuses, such as notebook computers and the like are arranged so that they are operable by electric power obtained from an external power supply, for example, a commercial power supply via an AC adapter, a car adapter wherein voltage from a car battery is converted into regular voltage, or a battery pack incorporated in the computer as well. Here, a notebook personal computer will be explained by way of example.
A battery pack is very convenient for a user who often uses the personal computer where an external power supply, such as a commercial power supply is not available. There are, however, many users who use the personal computer as a desk computer.
Recently, as the higher-level function and the higher speed of processing are required of the personal computer, the dissipation power of the personal computer is increased, while miniaturization of an AC adapter is required because of improvement of portability of the personal computer. Miniaturization of an AC adapter is implemented, to some extent, through improvement of efficiency for a control circuit. However, as larger tolerance and miniaturization of the AC adapter are implemented, it becomes difficult to expect an assurance for a momentary power cut of the external power supply, such as the commercial power supply by the AC adapter. Specifically, to ensure operation of the personal computer for the momentary power cut from the external power supply, such as the commercial power supply, there is a need to store energy at a predetermined level ensuring operation of the personal computer until the power supply is recovered. However, in view of the tendency that the dissipation power of the personal computer is increased and the AC adapter is miniaturized, it is difficult to make the AC adapter to ensure operation during the momentary power cut. In view of the foregoing, in general AC adapters do not ensure operation during the momentary power cut of the external power supply such as the commercial power supply.
The personal computer is an electronic apparatus in which it is essentially expected that a battery pack is mounted therein, assuring operation during the momentary power cut of the external power supply such as the commercial power supply, the battery pack rather than the AC adapter provides power to the personal computer.
However, because typical battery packs incorporate thereinto secondary batteries, these battery packs are relatively expensive. The secondary battery is an expendable source and is not long in life time. Also the battery pack is large in load for the user who uses the personal computer on a desk, where the battery pack is mounted for momentary power cuts.
It is intended that an AC adapter is minimized, it is considered that the current (rated current), which can be derived from the AC adapter, is decreased. A notebook personal computer is not operated always at a constant power, but is usually operated at a current level, which is considerably lower than a current of a level near the rated current. Consequently, the battery pack is mounted on the personal computer where the rated current of the AC adapter is lowered, and when the personal computer is operated in the usual low current level, the secondary battery of the battery pack is charged. When a large current is needed instantaneously, a shortage of the current capacity of the AC adapter is complemented with the secondary battery in the battery pack. In this manner, it is ensured that the battery pack is mounted on the personal computer and it is possible to miniaturize the AC adapter through lowering the rated current of the AC adapter. In this case, however, it is obliged to mount the battery pack on the personal computer. Thus, this case also brings about too much load for a user who uses the personal computer on a desk.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to measure a momentary power cut and a large current, which will be needed momentarily, upon reducing a load.
An electronic apparatus system, including: a battery pack housing batteries; a battery pack connection section connecting the battery pack to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack; and a pseudo battery pack including a power holding unit holding electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus, wherein if the external power supply is used and the external power supply fails to supply the electric power, the pseudo battery pack is mounted on the battery pack connection section.
An electronic apparatus system, including: a battery pack housing batteries; a battery pack connection section connecting the battery pack to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack; and a pseudo battery pack including a power holding unit holding electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus, wherein if the external power supply is used and the external power supply is short in supplying electric power, the pseudo battery pack is mounted on the battery pack connection section.
A battery pack in an electronic apparatus including a battery pack connection section connecting the battery pack, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack, the battery pack including: a battery; and a power holding unit holding electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus when the external power supply is short in power supply.
An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus including: a power holding unit charged with electric power from the external power supply to hold electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus, when the external power supply fails to supply the electric power; a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the power holding unit upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the power holding unit to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.
An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus including: a power holding unit charged with electric power from the external power supply to hold electric power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus, when the external power supply is short in power supply; a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the power holding unit upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the power holding unit to the electronic apparatus while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.
A pseudo battery pack for an electronic apparatus, including: a battery pack mounting section to which a battery pack for housing batteries is detachably mounted, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack, wherein the pseudo battery pack includes capacitors connected in parallel, and the pseudo battery pack is mounted on the battery pack mounting section.
An electronic apparatus system, including: a battery pack housing batteries; an electronic apparatus including a battery pack mounting section to which the battery pack is detachably mounted, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack; and a pseudo battery pack including capacitors connected in parallel, the pseudo battery pack being mounted on the battery pack mounting section.
A system, including: an electronic apparatus; a pseudo battery pack; and a battery pack housing batteries detachably mounted to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack, wherein the pseudo battery pack includes capacitors connected in parallel, and the pseudo battery pack includes substantially same configuration as the battery pack.
An electronic apparatus system, including: an electronic apparatus; a battery pack housing batteries detachably mounted to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack; and a pseudo battery pack including capacitors connected in parallel, the pseudo battery pack including substantially same configuration as the battery pack, and being detachably mounted on the electronic apparatus.
An electronic apparatus system, including: a battery pack housing secondary batteries; an electronic apparatus to which the battery pack is detachably mounted, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack; and a pseudo battery pack including capacitors connected in parallel, the pseudo battery pack including substantially same configuration as the battery pack, and being detachably mounted on the electronic apparatus.
A system, including: a battery pack housing batteries; an electronic apparatus to which the battery pack is detachably mounted, the electronic apparatus being operable with one of electric power from an external power supply and electric power from the battery pack; and a capacitor in the battery pack connected in parallel with the housed batteries.
An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus, including: a capacitor charged with electric power from the external power supply and supplying a charged electric power to the electronic apparatus to operate during a predetermined time, when the external power supply fails to supply the electronic power; a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the capacitor upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the capacitor while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.
An electronic apparatus operative with electric power from an external power supply, the electronic apparatus, including: a capacitor charged with electric power from the external power supply and supplying a charged electric power to the electronic apparatus to operate during a predetermined time, when the external power supply is short in power supply; a charging path preventing or reducing in-rush current and charging the capacitor upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the external power supply; and a power supplying path supplying charged electric power stored in the capacitor while preventing a backflow of the power, the power supplying path being different from the charging path.